The Monster Prince
by sabbymae
Summary: A perspective on Richard's side of the story as Lambda starts to awaken within the prince as Richard tries to reclaim his throne. His obsessions and rage is enhanced as well as his powers as he struggles within himself to keep being himself, or give into the voice in his head.
1. It's in My Head, Right?

( A/N: So this is what I kinda figure was going through Richard's head when I think Lambda starts to reawaken from when he first went inside Richard, since I figured he was doing that sleeping shizz inside Richard until the whole Cedric fiasco.( Know wtf the whole thing with the cave in the childhood arc is to get what I mean) If you wanna argue on when Lambda is active with Richard, don't bother ain't hearing it. XD This is just for fun for me. Some of the dialog from the game is gonna be paraphrased for my convenience through this story, so you know. I'm lazy that way. Anyway, hope you enjoy Richard's descent into MADNESS—er, Lambdaness. )

Richard panted heavily as he lumbered through the dark tunnels of the catacombs. He held his side as he tried to keep going, his vision trying to adjust to the dimly lit caverns. He was tired and terrified after his uncle suddenly slaughtered his only real guards with the once loyal knights, and went after him.

He could barely remember what had happened, or how he survived. He just remembered his uncle coming into the room and charging at him while everyone was being slashed down around him. The next thing he knew, he was running down the stairs to the catacombs. He had to fend off a few knights on the way down—one of which caught his side.

He didn't feel nearly as injured as he thought he would be, but it was still exhausting and his body was beginning to shut down on him in a last effort to make him stop to rest. He gave into his body's demands and collapsed onto the cold, damp stone to recover some energy.

He had thought for a moment of fleeing to the knight academy to seek out Asbel. He knew he was there, but it would more than liely kill him if he went to the lion's den for his one and only ally in the whole city. Ironic he would be with traitors.

His head was still fuzzy, unsure of what he was really doing or what he has done. Richard figured he was in shock from his father dying and his uncle's hostile takeover happening all in the same week.

"What…am I going to do now…?" Richard muttered to himself before he suddenly realized there were footsteps approaching him. 'damn…not now…give me a few damn minutes…' He wasn't happy they knew of his escape route, since that means he'd have to fight. He took a breath to try to gather what little energy he had left before he heard a concerned voice call out his name and give him pause.

"Richard!"

Confused, Richard looked up, readying himself to lunge at whoever it was until he saw a taller version of an old friend of his.

"Richard, it's me," Asbel knelt down next to the tired prince and put a hand on his shoulder. "Asbel Lhant."

"Could it…?" Richard was surprised to see Asbel, barely changed after all these years. "Asbel…? Is that really you?" Richard's heart felt light suddenly seeing Asbel there. He was surely safe now. "Well…I must say…" Richard sighed. "I certainly didn't expect to find you here…" But he was glad he did.

Asbel looked at his prince in worry. "I don't understand," he started. "This is crazy! I heard you were supposed to be dead!" He regretted saying that when he saw the startled look on Richard's face from the news.

"You heard…" Richard looked down at the ground. "That…I was dead?" He had to give uncle Cedric credit; he didn't waste any time with making sure people knew he took over one way or another. But now he realized it may make things difficult for taking back his kingdom, if his kingdom believed him to be dead.

"I'm so glad you're safe," Asbel cut into Richard's thoughts. "Can you stand? Come on, let's go…"

Asbel was trying to carry Richard, but was being awkward about it. Richard thought he should just be slung like a bag to get it over with, but Asbel was trying to be as gentle as possible with the prince. He had one arm around the prince's waist and had Richard's arm around his shoulders. Richard didn't particularly like being treated like he was so …..Dainty, at the moment. Yes, he was in pain, but he just wanted to get the hell out. Even if Asbel dragged him by the cape he wouldn't give a damn so long as they got outside.

"So you still live….your highness."

Richard's dear uncle's men arrived. Asbel dispatched them quickly along with a girl that looked hauntingly familiar. As he looked at the way the girl moved and attacked, he felt confused. He heard Sophie was dead. But it had to be her, no one else moved and looked like her. That confusion suddenly turned into a feeling like being wary and defensive, though he didn't know why he suddenly felt that way when watching her.

The men were dealt with, much to Richard's relief.

"You saved me, Asbel…" Richard said softly to his friend. "If you hadn't arrived when you did, I wouldn't have survived." And that was how he truly felt. He knew he'd be a goner in his state. "Thank you." He smiled at his friend, who saluted him. Richard's smile faded seeing that rigid and formal motion come from Asbel.

"I'm glad to be of service, your Highness."

Richard really didn't like Asbel of all people doing that. "Please, don't speak like that," Richard pleaded while waving a hand dismissively. "We're old friends, you and I…" The prince did wonder how that little imp of a boy he used to know transformed into such a well-mannered young man. Too well mannered. It was downright disturbing, really.

"Yeah but, you're the crowned prince." Asbel stated while lowering his arm.

'And look where that got me right now,' Richard thought bitterly. However, since Asbel so dedicated to his status as prince, Richard can make him stop it by using it against him. "I could order it, you know."

"Ah…but….you're highness…" Asbel stuttered, making Richard give him a long hard look. Asbel rubbed the back of his head sheepishly from that and sighed. "…Fine. Richard. Does that work for you?" He was a bit annoyed, which Richard didn't mind in the least. In fact, it made him more like himself. The Asbel he knew.

"Perfect," Richard smiled again. "Formality just doesn't suit you, old friend." And it really didn't.

Richard met Sophie's curious gaze and tensed. He figured he was just in shock from seeing her still alive and tried to ignore his feelings for a moment. When Richard asked who she was, Asbel muttered how she was Sophie…but was probably not Sophie. He was confused about how she could have survived as much as Richard was if it was her, but it couldn't have been her. Maybe.

However, something inside Richard knew it was her. The same girl they knew back then. He didn't know how, but he would be able to recognize her no matter what happened.

"It's her," Richard cut Asbel off. As soon as he said that, he felt an odd tingle run down his spine. "I can sense it, and you probably could too since you call her by that name…" The tingle in his spine wrapped around his chest and suddenly he felt a strong heat pulse from the tingle. The heat started to suddenly become unbearable as he clutched his chest and fell to his knees. He gasped as Asbel rushed to his side.

"Richard! What happened?" Asbel asked while trying to keep Richard from collapsing on his side.

"M-my chest," Richard gasped. "It's on fire all of a sudden..!"

Richard suddenly felt the world freeze around him, as though time had stopped. He heard a booming voice inside his head that he somehow remembered from somewhere suddenly hiss in his mind: **"Protos Heiss"**. And as fast as it came, it disappeared. He blinked, the pain subsiding and the world around him seemed to be moving in a normal speed.

'What was that…?' Richard thought as Asbel was still at his side.

"Hey! There he is!" A voice from down the corridor shouted. More of the knights. Asbel and Richard stood up, knowing they had to get moving soon. Richard told Asbel of another exit they could use. The young prince didn't think to use it at first due to his weakened condition earlier, but he felt…strangely better.

As they went down that winding path, Richard couldn't help but wonder what the voice he heard was. He knew he heard it before, but he couldn't figure out where or when. It didn't scare him for some reason, but it did make him curious.

Well, he would have to think about it later, since he needed to focus on escaping for now.


	2. Because of Sophie?

South Barona Highroad. Richard didn't think he'd be so glad to see sunlight as he did the moment they came out of the catacombs. He was still tired and wanted to rest soon, but tried to keep going as far as he could. Even though watching the waves soothed him, he knew being closed off by the beach would be a horrible place to rest.

When they reached the cabin front, he plopped himself down on the ground, muttering, "This is fine." His legs could barely make it to the cabin even though it was steps away. If he could, he would never stand up again and sit there forever to recuperate.

"Sophie, don't go too far," Asbel told the young girl as she started to wonder off to look at the seagulls. Richard smiled slightly at how much of a father Asbel sounded then. The thought of Asbel being a dad was a bit amusing and kind of adorable to Richard. He seemed a bit doting of Sophie as it was already…just wait until she started dating. That would make Richard laugh.

Out of the corner of his eye, Richard saw Asbel sit down on the opposite side of the little road leading up to the cabin. "Richard," Asbel started softly. "What happened back in Barona?"

"My father was murdered," Richard automatically stated. That was the one thing he had wanted to say, to yell, to cry about since his father's death.

"What?!"Asbel sat up straighter, leaning towards the crowned prince in disbelief.

"Yes.." Richard sighed while shaking his head sadly. "He was killed by the very knights who swore to protect him." Richard glanced over to see Sophie chase after a bird who was hopping along the sand. "…They would have killed me as well, but I hid among the bodies to escape detection."

The blond startled himself with saying that. The last sentence suddenly came out without him thinking about it. The fact that he doesn't particularly remember that part was what startled him. What prompted him to say something he couldn't remember? He hid among bodies. The idea made him feel horrified, but he hid his sudden shock from Asbel by keeping on a straight face. He didn't want to seem more of a trouble than he already is with sudden amnesia.

"When the enemy dropped their guard," Richard continued, looking up at the sky as he spoke to try to calm himself down by watching the clouds float by. "I went to the secret passage and fled for my life." That part he remembered. In fact, that was all he remembered was the running. His legs remembered it as well.

"I can't believe the knights would do such a thing…" Asbel murmured while looking at Richard apologetically, like it was his fault this all happened.

"…my father's death was a shock," Richard explained to Asbel, and a bit to himself to try to reconcile himself as to his lack of actually remembering things happening, but knowing somehow. "But the fact that he was betrayed his own knights makes it far worse." Richard made a mental note he would not want any knights at his side after all of this. If he could just have Asbel that'd be all he really wanted. He learned that you can't trust even the people who swore loyalty to you.

'**Those horrid creatures…'**

Before Richard could even blink as to where that thought came from, Asbel spoke again. "And I was a student at the knight academy.." He looked up at Richard, that guilty look still on his face that made him look like a puppy that got scolded.

"Yes, I heard you left home to join them." The prince stretched his legs out a little. His boots felt so tight, but he didn't dare take them off right now.

"I did. But then I resigned. My father also died recently…" He bit his lip at the thought of Lord Aston dying in the battlefield. "..And I was to become the next lord of Lhant…." Richard wish he'd stop looking at him like that. "Had I stayed I…I might be chasing you down right now."

"Pht," Richard shook his head. The thought was ridiculous to him. Sure he couldn't trust the knights, or his own blood, but he could trust Asbel. He was able to trust him to save his life when they were children from Bryce, and he didn't want a thing in return. Everyone else wanted to gain something from Richard's death, but not Asbel. "But you're not," Richard stated firmly. "You saved my life, just as you did seven years ago." He tilted his head to the side, his hair falling down over his shoulder. "I thought of that day as I fled the castle," Richard admitted. "I…was so desperately hoping you would somehow come to my aid."

Asbel's sad puppy look seemed to diminish from hearing Richard speak of him thinking of him. "Richard…"

"And you did. You actually did," Richard cut him off, looking down at the sandy ground, a bit embarrassed about talking about this. He had barely spoken his own feelings for a long time to anyone. "…You have no idea how happy I was to see you, Asbel." He didn't want to sound gushy and all touchy-feely suddenly, but he did want Asbel to know he needed and appreciated his help. "You're…special," said Richard softly. "You're one of the only people I've ever trusted…"

He knew he was talking way too much about his feelings right now and decided to change the subject before he started saying odder things than, 'you're special' and scare Asbel.

"So what's your plan?" Richard asked suddenly. "Will you return home when this is over?"

"Things are…complicated." Asbel rubbed the back of his neck while looking down, thinking of his wayward brother. The alliance with Strahta has changed everything."

Richard raised an eyebrow questionably. It started to worry him. "What are you talking about? My father would never have agreed to an alliance. He always took a hard line on such matters." Though he had a feeling his father was not involved in that at all, but his uncle Cedric.

"They just arrived in Lhant a little while ago," Asbel added. That clarified it for sure, Cedric was behind that alliance. Before Richard could ponder what scheme Cedric had planned when forming this alliance, Sophie came running up to them.

"Asbel, someone's coming." The young men both rose to their feet, though Richard still ached. He hated these guards timing so much right now.

As Asbel drew his blade and charged at the knights, Richard cast Sword Deluge to throw them off so that Asbel and Sophie could knock them out more easily. After the short battle, Richard revealed that these men served his uncle, who wanted to kill him to Asbel when he questioned who they were. Asbel couldn't believe that family could be so cruel to each other as to try to kill one another, even though his own brother despised him at the moment.

"Asbel, listen," Richard called for his attention. "When we reach Duke Dalen, I plan to build an army to avenge my father's death." He knew he wasn't going to be able to live in hiding for long without being hunted down again. The only thing he could do was try to get the throne back. After Cedric is dealt with, Richard knew he was going to make some drastic changes to the kingdom, though he didn't know what at the moment. "Will you fight with me?"

"Of course," Asbel agreed with a smile. This eased Richard's tension greatly about charging into battle with his uncle. Even though in the back of his mind, he felt like he knows the outcome will be in his favor no matter what happens. "I'll do whatever I can." Asbel reached his hand out to his prince, his friend. Richard smiled at the gesture and took Asbel's hand in his. Even though he had a glove on, he could till feel the heat from the eldest son of Lhant through it.

"Thank you Asbel…thank you."

"This is just like our old friendship pact," Asbel laughed a little. Sophie wondered closer to the two men, curious as to what they were doing. Asbel looked down at the girl. "You want to join in, too, Sophie?" Sophie nodded her head. Richard felt a warm wave of nostalgia wash over him from doing this, and having the two of them there.

"Yes, join us," Richard agreed. "It'll be like it was seven years ago."

Sophie put her hand on top of Richard's, who was holding Asbel's hand. As soon as it made contact, Richard felt a sharp icy chill throb in his hand and run up his arm. He clenched Asbel's hand momentarily before pulling back and holding his hand. He shivered and suddenly felt apprehensive of being near Sophie like he did inside the catacombs.

Sophie merely stared at her own hand.

"What just happened?" Asbel asked. He saw a strange flutter of what looked like black smoke form for a brief moment over their hands, but wasn't sure if that was just a plume of dirt from Sophie's hand or what.

Richard felt confused as well as to why he felt suddenly cold and uneasy. "I-it's strange," Richard stuttered while trying to rub the cold away. "I just felt a chill run up my arm…" When Sophie suddenly hid behind Asbel, Richard felt even tenser. He didn't like she was doing that. Looking at him like he was at fault…just like everyone else…

"Are you okay?" Asbel asked, "You're not hurt are you?"

Richard took a breath to regain his composure. "I'm fine," Richard said quickly. "But we should get to Gralesyde as quickly as we can." He wanted to lie down on a bed and try to figure out what was wrong with him. He hoped maybe some bed rest and maybe seeing a doctor would help. _'The stress must be really getting to me…'_ he told himself. But he couldn't shake the feeling like something was wrong.

Something was wrong…and somehow….it involved Sophie.

Before they took off, they rested for a bit longer at the little cabin. Asbel bought a few gels for the journey as Sophie watched the birds again. Asbel went over to Richard and was holding his stomach as though in pain. "I'm starvin'…" Asbel muttered, wishing he had grabbed a sandwich or something before going into the catacombs. He hadn't eaten since he was kicked out of Lhant.

"I know I dragged you into this, but I can't do anything about the food situation right now. I'm very sorry."

"Aren't you hungry, too?" Asbel asked.

"Very," Richard admitted.

"Oh no, it's not your fault at all but…" He rummaged through his bag and pulled out some ingredients he had kept picking up. "You should cook us a snack before we go, since you look like you got the energy for it…"

Richard looked down at the ingredients, then at Asbel warily. "…Me? You want me to cook?"

"Richard please?" Asbel begged. "I can't focus." It was a lie, he could focus enough to do some math in his head for buying items, but he just wanted someone else to cook for him or he'd just eat the ingredients raw since he was so lazy when it came to cooking.

"Well…" Richard had no real idea how to cook. He watched enough times and once in a blue moon he did have the run of the kitchen late at night to make himself a snack but…

The prince sighed. "Fine. But if it tastes horrible, it's your fault for choosing me as the chef, Asbel."

"I'm sure it'll taste fine," Asbel said dismissively, the thought that Richard having servants to cook his whole life somehow never occurring to him.

About a half hour later, Richard had attempted to make rice porridge. He had no idea if he did it right, since he had no recipe to go off of. Asbel grabbed a helping of the rice and scarfed it down without a second thought. Richard waited for a rating on his first time actually cooking as Asbel ate. He waited some more when Asbel finished….and he waited still after Asbel went to bring Sophie over.

Richard cleared his throat as Sophie stared at her bowl of rice, unsure of whether she should eat it or not. "Well, Asbel…how did you like it?" He really wouldn't have cared if it wasn't for the fact it was his first time cooking, but he really wanted to know how he did.

"Huh? Oh, uh…" Asbel stammered. "I kinda…I mean it was good I ate it right?"

"…But were there points of interest or improvement that need to be noted?" Richard pressed; now starting to realize what those older maids whom were married went on about when they complained about their husbands and children not appreciating their cooking.

"Uhh…" Asbel's eyes darted to the side for a moment. "I kinda…I think I ate too fast to really taste it."

"…You made me cook for the very first time in my life, and you didn't even taste it." Richard's voice was flat as he crossed his arms. Asbel tried to smile it off, but Richard shook his head. "If I had kown you were going to do that, I would have told you to just eat whatever was in the bag."

As Richard was having a bit of a wife-wannabe crisis with Asbel, Sophie was slowly eating her rice. She looked over at the prince and said, "Yummy."

Richard pointed at Sophie while still looking at Asbel. "At least someone here knows how to critique."

"…But too many tea leaves."

Richard sighed as Asbel chuckled. "…Still better than you, Asbel."

(A/n: The cooking thing was just something odd I wanted to do to lighten the mood slightly since THIS IS GRACES ITS FULL OF HAPPINESS AND FRIENDSHIP IT MIGHT AS WELL BE OWNED BY DISNEY or whatever. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!)


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